Heddle mechanism for looms.



' m. 660,928. Patented" Oct. 30, I900.

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nznnu-s MECHANISM FOR Lo'oms.

(Application filed Mar. ao,'19co.

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No. 660,928. Patented Oct. 30, I900.

- T. ROWCRDFT.

HEDDLE MECHANISM FOR Looms.

(Application filed Hm: 30, 1900.) I

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Patenieq Oct. 30, I900.

T. nowcnorT. HEDDLE MECHANISM FOR LUOHS.

(Application filed Mar. 30, 1900.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

THOMAS ROWCROFT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR-TO THE STAR AND CRESCENT MILLS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HEDDLE MECHANISM FOR LOOM S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,928, dated October 30, 1900.

A' pligfion filed March 30, 1900. Serial No. 10,763. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS ROWOROFT, a citizen of the United States, residingin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain Improvements in Heddle Mechanism for Looms, of which the'following is a specification.

The-object of my invention is to so construct the heddle-operating mechanism of a loom as to provide for changing the pattern at any desired intervals-ran object which I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of heddle-operating devices for looms, illustrating the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the structure, illustrating a continuation of that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, looking in a direction the reverse of Fig. 1 and illustrating parts to which my in vention particularly relates. Fig. 4 is an enlarged View, partly in elevation and partly in sectional plan, on the line a a, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a modification of part of my invention, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. I V

1 represents part of the fixed frame of the loom, upon which is mounted a transverse shaft 2, constituting the bearin g for the series of heddle-levers 3, which are connected to the heddles by means of straps 4 in the usual manner. The heddle-levers are vibrated by means of longitudinally-guided cam-slides 5, as shown in Fig. 6, each of said cam-slides having a pivoted jack 6, which is under control of a pattern-lever 7, these pattern-levers being operated by rollers 8 upon a pattern, chain 9, which is moved to the extent of one link upon each pick of the loom by the action of a pawl 10, carried by an arm 11, hung to the shaft of the pattern-chain, and acts upon a ratchet-wheel 10*, secured to said shaft. The arm 11 is connected, by means of a rod 12, to one arm of a three-armed lever 13, which is operated by one of the cams of the loom, and which likewise through the mediumof rods 14 impartsreciprocating motion to the upper and lower slide-bars l5 and 16, whereby the jacks 6 are actuated, so as to impart reciprocating movement to the camslides 5, and hence effect the desired vibration of the heddle-levers. All of the parts thus far described are common to heddle mechanism now in use, myinvention consisting of certain additions to such mechanism whereby the shedding of the heddles may be changed and the pattern of the fabric thereby varied at desired intervals. f

The pattern-chain 9 has its rollers 8 arranged in sets, each set covering a space on each bar of the chain equal to a width of two or more rollers, depending upon the number of changes which it is desired to eife(.-t. In

the present instance each set covers a width of three rollers and three lateral positions of the pattern-chain are provided for-that is to say, the two extreme positions and an intermediate position.

There may be but one pattern-lever 7 for each of the sets of pattern-rollers, inwhich case the heddles corresponding to said pattern-levers will be operated in a certain order when controlled by one section of the rollers of a set, in another order when controlled by another section of the rollers of said set, and in still another order when controlled by the third section of the rollers of the set, or there may be more than one pattern-lever for each set of rollers of the pattern-chain, each lever being controlled by the rollers of the set which happen to be moved beneath the same. The disposition of the pattern-levers and of the rollers of each set on the pattern-chain will be dependent upon the character of the patterns to be produced.

The shaft 18, carrying the notched wheels or drums upon which the pattern-chain is mounted, is adjusted laterally in its hearing, such adjustment being effected in the present instance by means of a cam-slide 20, which acts upon a pair of collars or flanges 21 and 22, secured to said shaft 18, there being in the present instance upon both the inner and outer faces of the cam-slide cams 23 and 24.,

those on the inner face of the slide being adapted to act upon the collar 22 when the cam-slide is moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4, and those upon the outer face'of the cam-slide being adapted to act upon the collar 21 when said cam-slide is moved in a direction the reverse of that indicated by the arrow. Three different positions of the pattern-shaft and its chain are thus provided for. As shown in Fig. 4, the pattern-chain is in one of its extreme positions, but by moving the cam-slide 20 in the direction of its arrow until the cams 23 have acted upon the collar 22 said pattern-chain will be moved to an intermediate position, and by a still further movement of the cam-slide in the direction of the arrow until the cams 24 have acted upon the collar 22 the pattern-chain will be moved to the opposite extreme position and the pattern-chain will he moved in the opposite direction by a reversal in the direction of movement of the cam-slide.

Movement is imparted to the pattern-slide 20 in the following manner: Hung to the slide is a jack 25, having hooks 26 and 27 on its upper face and other hooks 28 and 29 upon its lower face, and this jack is in the present instance supported by means of a pin 30, resting upon the upper face of a cross-bar 31, at the upper end of a vertical bar 32, which is suitably guided on the frame of the loom and is slotted at its lower end for the reception of a vertically-adjustable stud 33, which bears upon a lever 34, the latter in the present instance being connected both directly and by a link 35 to a bell-crank lever 36, which forms part of the drop-box-operating mechanism of the loom and is acted upon by studs upon the drop-box patternchain 37. The jack 25 has a series of holes 66 disposed in a line inclined in respect to the horizontal, any one of these holes receiving the pin 30, so as to vary the vertical relations of the jack 25 and cross-bar 31, as may be required. A pin 61 on the fixed frame serves by contact with the jack 25 to limit the rise of the same under the lifting action of the cross-bar 51.

Hung to the upper port-ion of the loom is a lever 38, which is vibrated in unison with the lever 13 by means of a rod 39, connecting the two, and the opposite arms of said lever 38 are connected by rods 40 and 41, respectively,

to upper and lower reciprocating bars 42 and 43, which are intended to act, respectively, upon the hooked upper and lower faces of the jack 25, said bar 42 moving in one direct-ion when the bar 43 moves in the opposite direction.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the jack 25 is raised to its fullest extent and the cam-slide .20 occupies its outward limit of movement,

the retraction of said bar 43 the jack 25 and cam-slide 20 will be moved with it to the full extent of the travel of said bar 43, which is sufficient to effect a movement of the camslide 20 from one extreme position to the other.

If it is desired to move the cam-slide 20 from its outer extreme position to an intermediate position, the jack 25 is only partially lowered, so as to bring its hook 29 into engagement with the bar 43. Hence part of the inward movement of said bar 43 will be lost and only the remaining portion of said movement will be imparted to the jack 25 and cam-slide 20, and the latter will only be moved to the intermediate position, movement of the slide from this position to the inward extreme position being effected by again dropping the jack 25, so that its hook 28 will be in position to engage with the bar 43. Outward movement of the cam'slide to the extent of a complete or partial throw is effected by lifting the jack 25, so that its hook 26 or 27 may engage with the reciprocating upper bar 42. The pattern chain mechanism is firmly locked by the cams of the bar 20 in each of the positions to which it is adjusted.

The lever 34 in the present instance weighted, as shown at 62 in Fig. 2", so that its normal tendency is to lift the bar 32 to its full extent, the weight of said bar 32, its crossbar, and the jack resting thereon being sufficient to cause the bar to descend when the lever 34 is operated by the pattern-chain, although it will be manifest that there may be a positive connection between the lever 34 andthe bar 32, so as to insure movement of said bar with the lever in both directions.

When the lever 34 is combined with the drop-box lever 36, change in heddle control maybe effected simultaneously with a change in the character of the wefts applied, although this is not essential, as the lever 34 may, if desired, be entirely independent of the drop box lever and may be operated by studs on the drop-box pattern-chain independent of those intended for the operation of said dropbox lever.

Movement of the cam-slide 20 by momentum beyond the position to which it is intended to adjust it is prevented by the action of a roller 45, carried by a lever 46, which is hung to a stud on the frame of the loom and is acted upon by a spring 47, tending to depress the roller 45 and cause it to engage with one or other of a series of recesses 48, 49, and 50, formed in the upper surface of the camslide 20, as shown in Fig. 3. 7

As before stated, the ratchet-Wheel 1O on the pattern-chain shaft 18 is operated by a pawl 10, carried by an arm 11, which is free to swing on the pattern-chain shaft, and this pawl-carrying arm moves laterally with the shaft, and in order to permit this lateral movement the rod 12, whereby the pawl-carrying arm 11 is connected to the lever 13, is hung to a vertical pin 19 on said lever, so that its outer end is free to swing laterally to accommodate the varying lateral positions of the arm 11.

Although in carrying out my invention I prefer to use the cam-slide as a means of effecting the lateral shifting of the patternchain shaft, certain features of my invention may be employed in connection with means other than the cam-slide for effecting such movement. For instance, in Fig. 5 I have shown a construction in which the cam-slide is replaced by a rod 20 and a bell-crank lever 20*, the rod 20 being intended to be operated by the same means as those employed for operating the cam-slide and being attached to one arm of a bell-crank lever, the

other arm of the latter engaging with cams 21 and 252 on the shaft 18 of the patternchain.

Having thus'described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination in heddle-operating mechanism for looms, of a laterally-movable pattern-chain having pattern-rollers in sets, the rollers of each set being disposed side by side, cooperating elements of the heddle mechanism, whereby either series of rollers of a set may be caused toact upon the cooperating element, and means for laterally moving the pattern-chain said means also looking the same in each of its positions of adjustment, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in heddle mechanism for looms, of a laterally movable patternchain and means for effecting such lateral movement, comprising a slide movable in a direction transversely to the movement of the pattern-chain and having cams for imparting lateral movement to said pattern-chain, and collars on the pattern-chain'carrier for engaging said cams, substantially as specified.

3. The combination in heddle mechanism for looms, of a laterally movable patternchain, and means for. effecting such lateral movement, said means comprising a slide movable in a direction. transversely to the movementofthe chain, and havingcams upon its opposite faces, and flanges or collars on the pattern-chain shaft, one of said collars being acted upon by the cams on one side of the cam-slide and the other by the cams on the other side of said slide, substantially as specified.

4. The combination in heddle mechanism for looms, of a laterallymovable patternchain, and mechanism for effecting such lateral movement, comprising a rod or bar mounted so as to reciprocate in a direction transversely to the movement of the patternchain, means whereby the movement of said rod or bar causes lateral movement of the chain, a hooked jack carried by said bar, a pair of reciprocating bars adapted to engage with said hooked jack, and means for moving said jack so as to causeahook of the same to engage with either of said bars, substan tially as specified.

5. The combination in heddle mechanism for looms, of a laterallymovable pattern chain, a rod or bar movable in a direction transversely to said pattern chain, means whereby the movement of said rod or bar is transmitted to said pattern-chain, a hooked jack carried by said bar, a pair of reciprocating bars adapted to engage with said hooked jack, and means for moving the jacks so that a book of the same may engage with either of said reciprocating bars, said means having a cross-bar whereby the jack is supported and in respect to which it can move longitudinally without affecting its support, substantially as specified.

6. The combination in heddlemeohanism for'looms, of a laterallymovable patternchain, and mechanism for effecting such lateral movement, comprising a rod or bar movable in a direction transversely to the movement of the pattern-chain, means for transmitting the movement of said rod or bar to the chain, a jack carried by the bar, and having a series of books upon its upper and lower edges, a pair of reciprocated bars, one above and one below the jack, and means for moving the jack whereby either of its hooks may be caused to engage with a corresponding bar, substantially as specified.

7. The combination in heddle mechanism for looms, of a laterallymovable patternchain, a ratchet, a pawl, a swinging pawlarm for operating the pattern-chain shaft, all partaking of the lateral movement of said shaft, and an operating-rod for said swinging pawl-arm having pivotal connection with its actuating device, whereby its outer end is free to swing laterally with the pawl-carrying arm, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

TI-IOS. ROWOROFT.

Witnesses:

Row. G. WHITE, F. E. BEOI-ITOLD. 

